Alameda County Measure B Funding

East Bay Paratransit is partially funded by two Alameda County voter approved transportation sales tax Measures, called Measure B and Measure BB.

Measure B was approved in 2000 and is a half-cent sales tax passed to deliver essential transportation improvements and services. Measure BB was approved by voters in 2014 and extended and augmented the existing transportation sales tax receipts from Measure B. Measure BB expanded the tax to 1% and also increased the percentage of paratransit dedicated funds that East Bay Paratransit receives.

Oversight and distribution of funds from these measures is provided by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC).

East Bay Paratransit thanks the voters of Alameda County for supporting the original Measure B and the recent Measure BB, both of which contribute to provision of needed transportation to individuals with disabilities.

In addition to operational funding from the two Measures, East Bay Paratransit has been awarded Measure B supported special project funding, called Gap Grants. Some projects have helped to maximize the use of technology products in the ADA program providing increased quality of service to riders. Other projects identified paratransit resources in the County, created a picture book about using BART, or helped identify processes to assist riders with difficult service problems.

Gap Grant Funded Projects:

1. Purchase of Web-based Interactive Voice Response Scheduling System software (IVR), which allows automated calls to riders about vehicle arrival times. The system allows night before calls reminding riders of their trip and pick-up time the next day. On the day of service, the rider expecting a vehicle will get a telephone call indicating their vehicle’s arrival time e.g.; “your vehicle will arrive in 5 minutes". Project cost: $200,000.
2. New Freedom Funds Grant Match to provide the local match part of a $144,000 grant awarded to AC Transit to develop a detailed inventory and create an updateable data base of all traditional and non-traditional transportation resources in Alameda and Western Contra Costa Counties. Project Cost: $36,000.
3. Second phase of the MDT/AVL (Mobile Data Computers / Automatic Vehicle Locator) project to complete installation of small computers in all 200+ vehicles in the East Bay Paratransit fleet. This project funded 120 units. MDT/AVL systems provide improved communication between drivers and dispatchers. A visual display (monitor) is installed in each vehicle to provide a driver with real time text messages regarding pick-ups, drop offs and cancellations. The AVL function helps the driver with maps, Directions of location, and path of travel to destinations. Completed November 2010. Project Cost $360,000.
4. An illustrated booklet called “Learn BART. A Picture Guide to Riding BART”, which will be used in travel training programs and other efforts to train seniors and people with disabilities to use fixed route instead of paratransit. Completed June 2010. Project cost: $43,000. The link to this guide is http://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Learn_BART_Online5.3.pdf
5. Phase I installation of Mobile Data Computers (MDC)/Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) systems in a portion of the fleet – 80 Units. Completed January 2010. Project cost: $500,000
6. 6. A new, specialized staff position was called the “Rider Care Specialist". This staff member dealt with difficult scheduling issues and educated social service agencies. This demonstration project lasted three years and then was transitioned to staff in the paratransit Brokers’ office. Completed June 2010. Project Cost: $126,768.

CCTA’s Measure J/Section 15 Program Funds (Contra Costa County)    http://www.ccta.net/_resources/detail/2/1